Places Aksel Wants to Go

A Bohemian "anti-hotel" offers off-kilter stays in Sri Lanka.

Known as the most scenic route in Sri Lanka, this train line is steeped in history and offers an unparalleled view of the country.

Huge herds of Asian elephants can be seen walking, bathing, and just chilling at this Sri Lankan park.

This mesmerizing architectural wonder will take your breath away with its unusual color patterns.

Once thought to be the Garden of Eden it holds a holy footprint claimed to belong to Adam, Buddha and Shiva.

Pettah's beautiful floating market was once a stinky canal in a sketchy industrial area.

An ancient stone fortress considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world.

This World War II-era bunker hides between medieval chapels in Nijmegen's city center.

Located inside Hoge Veluwe National Park, this museum began as the private collection of a prominent female art collector.

A nuclear reactor created for Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" campaign is now used for research at a Dutch university.

Walk through the history of a Dutch truck manufacturer, from 1928 to today.

An idyllic hotel that gave its name to a supposed shadow government.

One of the largest burial mounds in the Netherlands and Belgium.

A radio telescope for listening to the stars, based in one of the cloudiest countries in the world.

This disused VLF radio station is no longer in service but the surrounding town still bears its name.

The largest flower auction house in the world.

Some 80,000 Delft Blue tiles line the inside of this Amsterdam walkway.

The former headquarters of history's oldest megacorporation.

A true Valhalla for cactus and succulent lovers.

This museum housed in a former brothel explores the past and present of sex work in Amsterdam.

A beautifully eclectic mix of architectural styles.

This gorgeous reading room houses the oldest and largest art history library in the Netherlands.

The world's first zoo for microbes collecting the horrible and wonderful things living on and around us.

It might not be the prettiest pyramid in Egypt, but it may be the muddiest.